Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to potential exposure to environmental contaminants in Guam, but no evidence of Agent Orange exposure. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development and adjudication.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a low back disability and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The claim to reopen his right knee disability was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected. The Veteran experienced noise exposure in service, but his current hearing loss is not shown to be related to this exposure. His tinnitus is at least in equipoise with service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for high glucose, coagulopathy (claimed as excessive bleeding), bilateral hearing loss, and ischemic heart disease status post coronary artery bypass have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection on any of these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition and entitlement to higher initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran did not have a diagnosed lung disability, and his hearing was within normal limits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted with an effective date of May 18, 1978. The Board found that the evidence supported a grant of service connection based on direct service connection due to the presence of hearing loss at the time he filed his initial claim.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability due to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as the Veteran's hearing was within normal limits at separation from service. The claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral sensori-neural hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus are related to his military noise exposure, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board granted the Veteran's service connection for bilateral lower extremity polyneuropathy and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that his exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam is presumed. The Veteran was also found to have set foot on land in the Republic of Vietnam, qualifying him for presumptive service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, as well as whether these conditions are related to service. The case will be remanded for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, and upper respiratory illness due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and basal cell carcinoma residuals were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury, and there is no medical opinion linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable under the VA rating schedule, and the Board finds that a compensable evaluation is not warranted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. However, the preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not have its onset in service or within the one-year presumptive period following service, and is not etiologically related to service.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as previous opinions did not adequately consider his in-service noise exposure. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to his in-service exposure to loud noise and continuous symptoms since service separation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic trauma and grants service connection for this disability. The issue of whether there was any error related to VA's duties under the VCAA with respect to this claim is moot.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to July 25, 2014 was denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss from July 25, 2014 was also denied.